


Look me in the eyes, tell me I'm special

by sadpendragon



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Episode: s04e01-02 The Darkest Hour, Ficlet, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 16:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16895964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sadpendragon/pseuds/sadpendragon
Summary: It was great to have someone else know, someone that wasn’t a druid, a dragon, his mentor or his enemies.He scooped closer to Lancelot. “Hey.” Merlin gently nudged him with his elbow and smirked. “Look.”





	Look me in the eyes, tell me I'm special

**Author's Note:**

> Merlin kink meme fill for the prompt: _"merlin is showing off for lancelot's benefit -- he never gets the chance to do this around gaius! and lancelot, entranced by merlin instead of the magic, leans in and softly kisses merlin's cheek."_

The night was almost over. Merlin and Lancelot had set up a campfire, after Kilgharrah had flown away. When the first sunlight appeared, they were going to journey back to where they had left Arthur and the others, after Merlin had been struck by The Dorocha. They were not planning on sleeping anymore, the night had been too troubling. Besides, it was almost dawn anyways.

They were both gazing at the fire silently sitting next to each other. Merlin glanced at Lancelot’s side profile and got an idea. He smiled to himself, Lancelot was the only friend who knew about his magic. It was great to have someone else know, someone that wasn’t a druid, a dragon, his mentor or his enemies.

He scooped closer to Lancelot. “Hey.” Merlin gently nudged him with his elbow and smirked. “Look.”

Merlin cupped his hands together and whispered his favourite spell over them. When he opened his hands, two small golden butterflies came out of it. They flew up, circling each other, before they transformed and fell into petals back in his hands.

Merlin turned to Lancelot expectantly. Lancelot was smiling and looking directly at him. Merlin thought he might just be in love with the way Lancelot looked at him. He loved the small wrinkles forming around his eyes as he smiled.

“You’re too good for this world Merlin.” Lancelot chuckled. Then he leaned in and placed his arm around Merlin’s shoulders. “The world will lose its brightest star,” he whispered.

Merlin’s breath caught in his throat. It wasn’t the first time Lancelot had praised him, but tonight it felt different. Before Merlin could muster a reply back, Lancelot leaned forward in their embrace, ruffling Merlin’s hair before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. It was over so soon—Lancelot was already looking away at the clearing sky—that he thought he had imagined it. He looked back at the fading petals in his palms, vividly still feeling the heat of the kiss on his cheek. No, he had definitely not imagined it.

Soon they were back on their horses. It felt like the couple past hours hadn’t happened. Until he noticed that Lancelot kept peering at him. He could feel he was hesitating on saying something.

Merlin was going to speed up the pace, when Lancelot said, “I look at you and I wonder about myself,” he paused, “Would I knowingly give up my life for something?”

Their eyes met. Merlin looked forward again. Shouldn’t Lancelot, as a knight, understand more than anyone? Maybe not. A knight’s duty was to protect, yes. But dying in a fight, in an honourable battle? It was different.

“You have to have a reason. Something that’s more important than anything,” Merlin said.

Lancelot was looking down. What was he thinking? Was he reflecting on what he would willingly give his life for, without a fight. Who? Merlin tightened his grip on the handles, Lancelot had said he was over Gwen. Merlin hadn’t believed him. But if Lancelot’s thoughts really hadn’t strayed to Gwen first... Merlin wondered about the contemplation he saw in his friend's eyes. Had he found something, _someone_ else he would step into a veil to his death for?


End file.
